How and why does an artist make the move from representational to abstract art? For recent washashore MarieLouise Rouff, it was about making friends with a machine.

 At an artisticcrossroads 15 years ago,while taking a class on monotype printing, Ms.Rouff beganquestioning hercreative process.Monotype print work leaves the outcome of thefinal pieceto the whim of the etching press. Suddenly, the finished product of her landscape pai nting was no longer only up to her. What to do when a machine becomes part of the artistic process? Ms. Rouffe decided to open up to the chaos.

But giving up control is never easy. For Ms. Rouff, it birthed unwanted feelingsof frustration and self-doubt. These gave way to a letting go as she channeled her unease into her art. The results are paintingsborn of her emotions and inner landscapes. As Ms. Rouff describes it, “My mind reconstructs the reality of a walk and of the landscape from a vast number of small memory fragments.”

MarieLouise Rouff’s work is on display at the Shaw Cramer Gallery on 56 Main street in Vineyard Haven. An opening reception for the artist will be held today, on July 2 from 6 to 8 p.m. For details, call 508-696-7323 or visit shawcramergallery.com.